[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 109 (Tuesday, September 14, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1613-E1614]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE ROBERT E. MITCHELL CENTER FOR PRISONER OF WAR STUDIES

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                            HON. JEFF MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 14, 2004

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to 
rise today in recognition of the Robert E. Mitchell Center for Prisoner 
of War Studies.
  The original Center for Prisoner of War Studies was established in 
1972 under a five-year charter to study long-term effects of captivity 
on repatriated Vietnam prisoners-of-war. After the initial five years, 
the Air Force and Army programs were discontinued. Captain Robert 
Mitchell continued to successfully direct the Navy-Marine program, so 
successfully in fact that Air Force Vietnam POWs rejoined the program 
in 1993 and Army POWs rejoined in 1997.
  Located in my district in Northwest Florida, the Mitchell Center is 
the only program in existence that works with three branches of the 
armed services in this field, and currently sees over half of today's 
surviving Vietnam POWs. Findings from the Center's research have been 
used worldwide in medical and psychological fields, paving the way for 
further insight into POW studies. The Center now works with repatriated 
POWs from World War II all the way through Desert Storm.
  Recognizing the importance of the Mitchell Center's findings, 
Secretary of the Navy Gordon England signed a Memorandum of 
Understanding this year with the Robert E. Mitchell

[[Page E1614]]

Foundation allowing it to raise money for the sole purpose of 
supporting the Mitchell Center's success.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I would like to 
commend the Mitchell Center for its groundbreaking work in supporting 
our nation's prisoners of war as we bring them home.

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